Team/Work Group Structure and

Roles Socio-Tech vs Lean Teams

SPL 4.1

Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld
Senior Research Scientist, MIT Sloan School of Management and
Executive Director, MIT Engineering Systems Learning Center

Presentation for:
ESD.60 Lean/Six Sigma Systems
MIT Leaders for Manufacturing Program (LFM)
Summer 2004

These materials were developed as part of MIT's ESD.60 course on "Lean/Six Sigma Systems." In some cases,
the materials were produced by the lead instructor, Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, and in some cases by student teams
working with LFM alumni/ae. Where the materials were developed by student teams, additional inputs from the
faculty and from the technical instructor, Chris Musso, are reflected in some of the text or in an appendix
 Overview
Learning Objectives Session Design (20-30 min.)
Part I: Introduction and Learning
Understand and effectively
Objectives (1-2 min.)
incorporate knowledge of
Part II: Key Concept or Principle
alternative team types into
Defined and Explained (3-5 min.)
lean/six sigma
Part III: Exercise or Activity
implementation
Based on Field Data that
Consideration of strategy, Illustrates the Concept or
structure and process for Principle (7-10 min.)
team-based work systems Part IV: Common Disconnects,
Relevant Measures of Success,
and Potential Action
Assignment(s) to Apply Lessons
Learned (7-10 min.)
Part V: Evaluation and
Concluding Comments (2-3 min.)

[LFM Students] ESD.60 Lean/Six Sigma Systems, LFM, MIT 6/9/04 -- 2

Part I: Introduction Part II: Concepts Part III: Application Part IV: Disconnects Part V: Conclusion
 A Historical Counterpoint
This paper has been written:

First. To point out, through a series of simple illustrations, the great loss which the whole country is suffering
through inefficiency in almost all of our daily acts.

Second. To try to convince the reader that the remedy for this inefficiency lies in systematic management,
rather than in searching for some unusual or extraordinary man.

Third. To prove that the best management is a true science, resting upon clearly defined laws, rules, and
principles, as a foundation. And further to show that the fundamental principles of scientific management are
applicable to all kinds of human activities, from our simplest individual acts to the work of our great
corporations, which call for the most elaborate cooperation. And, briefly, through a series of illustrations, to
convince the reader that whenever these principles are correctly applied, results must follow which are truly
astounding.

This paper was originally prepared for presentation to The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The
illustrations chosen are such as, it is believed, will especially appeal to engineers and to managers of
industrial and manufacturing establishments, and also quite as much to all of the men who are working in
these establishments. It is hoped, however, that it will be clear to other readers that the same principles can
be applied with equal force to all social activities: to the management of our homes; the management of our
farms; the management of the business of our tradesmen, large and small; of our churches, our philanthropic
institutions, our universities, and our governmental departments.

Source: Frederick W. Taylor, The Principles of Scientific Management (New York: Harper Bros., 1911)
[LFM Students] ESD.60 Lean/Six Sigma Systems, LFM, MIT 6/9/04 -- 3

Part I: Introduction Part II: Concepts Part III: Application Part IV: Disconnects Part V: Conclusion
 Team Types
Lean Production Socio-Technical Off-Line Teams
Teams Systems Teams
Origins: Japan (Toyota Pull System, 1960s) Scandinavia (Volvo Kalmar, 1970s) U.S. (Harmon and GM/UAW QWL
and England (coal mines, 1940s) groups, 1970s) and Japan (Quality
Circles, 1980s)

System Continuous improvement in work Mix of social and technical sub- Ad hoc problem solving
Optimizes: operations systems

Expected Systematic gains in quality and Increased worker commitment and Increased worker commitment and
Yield: productivity targeted gains in quality and safety reactive response to quality
problems

Success High expectations of team High levels of team Separation from daily operations
Constrained autonomy; Low labor/management interdependence; Limited resources
support for continuous for technical redesign
by:
improvement

Typically Assembly operations (high Continuous production operations Broad range of workplaces
Found in: interdependency among teams) (high autonomy among teams)

Leadership: Depends on strong team leader Depends on self-managing group Depends on group facilitator

Membership: Common work area Common work area May draw on multiple work areas

Organization Core building block Core building block Adjunct to the structure
Structure:
Links to Tightly linked to internal customers Tightly linked across shifts; loosely Little or no links among teams
Other Teams: and suppliers linked with other teams

Source: Knowledge-Driven Work: Unexpected Lessons from Japanese and United States Work
Practices, Cutcher-Gershenfeld, et. al., 1998.
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Part I: Introduction Part II: Concepts Part III: Application Part IV: Disconnects Part V: Conclusion
 Y=F(X): Structure, Strategy and Process
Y = Effective Team-Based Work System X = Process
X = Strategy Team meetings
Teams and the business model Daily team operations
What are we optimizing: Shift-to-shift hand-offs
Cost, Quality, Continuous Problem-solving process
Improvement, Involvement. . . Issue resolution process
Policy deployment process
X = Structure
Quality control process
Team size
Preventative maintenance
Team leader role process
Team member roles Preventative safety process
Supervisor role Work re-design process
Support function roles Value stream mapping
Internal and external customer and process
supplier roles
Team meeting time
Team problem-solving time

[LFM Students] ESD.60 Lean/Six Sigma Systems, LFM, MIT 6/9/04 -- 5

Part I: Introduction Part II: Concepts Part III: Application Part IV: Disconnects Part V: Conclusion
 Boundary Spanning
Boundary spanners make it possible for people to take initiative and
be assertive

Boundary spanners include:

Supervisors/Manufacturing Advisors
Committeepeople
Superintendents
Work Group/Team Leaders
Work Group members with specific roles, such as recorders, safety
contact people, etc.

These are all people who bridge between the Work Group and the
larger system
Boundary spanners help others to see value in the Work Groups creative
ideas
Boundary spanners also provide a dose of reality to the Work Group

[LFM Students] ESD.60 Lean/Six Sigma Systems, LFM, MIT 6/9/04 -- 6

Part I: Introduction Part II: Concepts Part III: Application Part IV: Disconnects Part V: Conclusion
 Team Leader Role Exercise
You are a newly appointed production superintendent, committed to lean/ 6
transformation. On your first day in the work area, you are handed the following
role definition for a team leader. How might this help or hinder you?
1. Plan, schedule and facilitate team meetings.
2. Facilitate communications between shifts and teams.
3. Solve problems using authority delegated.
4. Plan and coordinate team activities, ensure proper job rotation.
5. Plan and provide or arrange for team member training (OJT or classroom).
6. Promote safety, quality and housekeeping.
7. Promote and ensure constant improvement in the team (e.g., quality, cost and
efficiency).
8. Obtain materials and supplies for the team.
9. Be knowledgeable of all operations within team, provide coverage for team
members who are away from the work area (i.e., absent, relief, emergency,
first aid, etc.)
10. Maintain team records, such as overtime scheduling/equalization,
preventative maintenance, attendance, training, etc.
11. Participate in management meetings and communicate the needs of the team.
12. Participate in the evaluation of team members, however, does not have the
final word.
13. Responsible for the morale and performance of the team.
14. Schedule vacation of group members.
15. Check on health and welfare of group members.
16. Encourage group to meet responsibilities.
17. Promote suggestion process.
18. Other tasks as determined by the work team.

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Part I: Introduction Part II: Concepts Part III: Application Part IV: Disconnects Part V: Conclusion
 Team Measurables
Translate the following plant-level metrics into team-level
metrics:
Safety
OSHA first-time visits
OSHA lost-time incidents
Quality
Average First-Time Through performance (FTT)
Top ten customer concerns
JD Power Quality Rating
Cost
Hours per X (x=plants primary product)
Performance to budget
New product launch performance to schedule
Maintenance
Operational Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
Average Change-Over Time
Flow
Dock-to-Dock

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Part I: Introduction Part II: Concepts Part III: Application Part IV: Measurables Part V: Conclusion
 Concluding Comments

Remember the big three: Structure, Strategy,

Process
Strategy guides structure
Structure drives behavior

Details matter!

[LFM Students] ESD.60 Lean/Six Sigma Systems, LFM, MIT 6/9/04 -- 9

Part I: Introduction Part II: Concepts Part III: Application Part IV: Disconnects Part V: Conclusion